Natural Disasters in Costa Rica

Earthquakes

Earthquakes are quite common in Costa Rica with small ones occurring daily and tremors strong enough to feel a few times a year. Major quakes strike about once a decade but no tourist has ever been killed or seriously injured by an earthquake in Costa Rica.

The deadliest earthquake in Costa Rican history struck north of the central valley January 8, 2009 and claimed 34 lives in and around the small village of Cinchona. Although 369 tourists were evacuated from La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Peace lodge they escaped with only a few minor injuries probably due to the higher quality modern construction techniques at the major attraction. It took over four years to repair the roads from Alajuela into the area and north to San Miguel.

In 2004 a magnitude 6.2 quake centered on the Pacific Coast near the Pacific coast tourist destination Manuel Antonio killed 8 locals and damaged several buildings and roads. The largest quake in modern history (magnitude 7.6) struck the Caribbean coast in April of 1991 killing 27 and damaging the Limón rail line so severely that repairs have never been attempted. The coral offshore from Cahuita in the national park was permanently lifted about three feet severely damaging the shallow portions of the reef.

The tourist infrastructure and modern areas in Costa Rica are generally well prepared for earthquakes. Building standards include earthquake “proof” engineering to prevent collapses and natural gas pipes are not used which greatly reduces the danger from fires. Emergency personnel are well trained and responded quickly and efficiently to the 2009 quake.

Volcanoes in Costa Rica

The same plate tectonics involved in creating Costa Rica’s earthquakes create a line of volcanoes over 130 volcanoes varying from completely dormant to exuding lava extending down the spine of the northern half of the country.

Some resorts and spas are built within the evacuation zone of Arenal volcano but it’s been quiet recently

Visitor’s centers on Poás and Irazú, and hot spring resorts directly in the path of lava flows at Arenal belie the fact that these are active volcanoes. A larger than usual (but still much smaller than what it’s capable of) eruption at Arenal in 2000 killed two people and chased everyone out of the pools at Tabacón Resort.

All of the deaths directly attributed to volcanic activity in Costa Rica occurred at Arenal which erupted in 1968 after centuries of near inactivity destroying the village of Tabacón and killing seventy-eight people. The lava has flowed and ebbed continuously over the ensuing forty plus years but the danger zone is well defined and deaths have been limited to a few foolish adventure seekers who ventured into prohibited zones close to the active cone.

In 2015 Volcan Turrialba ejected enough ash and cinders to create a cloud large enough to close the SJO international airport 50 km away. It reopened the next morning and no injuries or loss of life was reported. Experts predict that it will continue with higher levels of activity and could impact airport operations well into 2016.

Tsunamis

A few years ago the tsunami disasters in Southeast Asia and Japan raised awareness that offshore earthquakes can be more devastating than onshore ones. The shape of the seabed off the shores of Costa Rica is not particularly suited to the formation of tsunami waves. Recent major earthquakes off the coast of Chile (> 8.0) and in the central Pacific triggered Tsunami warnings in Costa Rica but all resulted in nearly unnoticeable increases in wave heights on the shores.

In most areas the ground rises sharply away from the beach. There has never been a significant tsunami recorded in Costa Rica but if you are concerned about the possibility of a tsunami “ocean view” accommodations well out of the reach of the waves are readily available in most beach areas.

Hurricanes

As you can see on this map of the range of occurrence of cyclones and hurricanes Costa Rica slips just under the the band of Caribbean and Pacific hurricanes.

The shape of the Gulf of Mexico dictates that the storms turn north soon after entering and out of the past several hundred only Hurricane Cesár came close in 1996 until Otto pushed across Northern Costa Rica in 2016.

Climate change is contributing to more unpredictable weather and in late November of 2016 Tropical Storm Otto moved slowly across the southern Caribbean building strength until it was a category 2 Hurricane when it made landfall on the Costa Rica, Nicaragua border.

Tropical Storm/Hurricane Otto’s path across Costa Rica in late November 2016

November 2016 – Hurricane Otto – Ten people were killed and couple of tiny communities in northern Costa Rica were devastated by the impact of Hurricane Otto on Thanksgiving. Please consider making a donation directly to the families affected in Bjagua & please share to spread the word. This is a legit fund supported by people we know who live there and all of the money WILL go directly into the community. Skip a cup of coffee this week and send $5.